The invention relates to a two-part pipe bracket of hard-flexible plastic for the mutual fixing of at least two adjacently running pipelines.
This pipe bracket, known for example from DE 24 46 133 Al, is preferably used in automobile construction in order to connect metallic fuel lines, which are prebent according to their intended use and aligned with respect to one another to ensure that the geometry of the thus prefitted line assembly is retained until installation by the fitter. The pipe bracket must in this case securely embrace the fuel lines and also must not become detached of its own accord subsequently during operational use, in view of the engine or chassis vibrations.
With a view to a more compact design of the pipe bracket, the invention is based on the object of designing the form of the bracket in such a way that, on the one hand, the center-to-center distance of the retaining grooves, and consequently the laying width of the pipelines, is kept as small as possible and, on the other hand, the pipe bracket parts can be produced as simply and cost-effectively as possible by the injection-molding process.
These objects are achieved according to the invention in the case of the bracket mentioned at the beginning by the securing clip having the same flexibly expandable clamping legs, the latter being arranged offset with respect to the clamping legs of the receiving part in the axial direction of the retaining grooves in such a way that they pass by one another when the two bracket halves are closed.
By these features the securing clip not only is connected directly to the receiving part via the barbs, but at the same time is also firmly clamped on the pipelines via the additional clamping legs, so that receiving part and securing clip form a firmly locked unit in the pressed-together state.
With further design modifications, it is possible to have the clamping legs passing by one another in the axial direction to have detents which enter into respectively opposite niches. In this case, the detents are initially pressed apart by the pipes inserted into the retaining grooves, to spring back subsequently again into their initial position, the detents projecting beyond the middle of the pipe frictionally engaging behind the pipeline. At the same time, the barbs on the end regions of the two receiving parts engage in one another, so that the two pipe bracket halves are connected frictionally and solidly with each other. In addition, the pipes are advantageously completely embraced and held within the pipe bracket over its entire length.
It is also an aim of the invention to have the retaining grooves lie as close as possible to one another. For this purpose it is expedient, to make it easier to press the pipelines into the retaining grooves, if the detents are directed alternately to one side and to the other over the width of a clamping leg, the distance between the rear of the detents and the adjacent pipe provided when pressing-in the pipes permitting an easier springing open of the clamping leg.
Further, by a special arrangement of barbs and counter-hooks the securing clip can be given the same form as the receiving part, so that the pipe bracket consists virtually of two identical receiving parts which can be plugged one into the other and which also can still be produced simply and cost-effectively in a casting mold consisting of two mold halves.
It is also possible to fix the hooking elements, in the closed state, in the axial direction of the pipelines, so that an opening of the pipe bracket by axial displacement of one bracket half is impossible.
In another embodiment of the invention, the two assemblable receiving parts have in each case two rows of clamping legs and, offset in the axial direction thereto, two rows of clearances, with the detents being directed to the one side on the clamping legs at the side and to the other side in the case of the middle clamping legs. The clamping leg arrangement of this embodiment offers the advantage over the first-mentioned form that the pipelines are embraced over a greater length within the receiving part and that the centrally arranged clamping legs in the opposite receiving part are in each case surrounded by two aligned clamping legs, so that the two bracket halves are fixed in the axial direction of the pipelines.